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A skin test after a traumatic event may identify those at risk of PTSD

Some people develop PTSD after a traumatic experience

Muchlis Akbar/EyeEm/Getty

By Clare Wilson

Only some people who go through a traumatic event get post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but for those who do, the condition can be devastating. A quick skin test could help spot those most at risk so they can be given support earlier.

People with PTSD can get nightmares and flashbacks after a traumatic event. Rebecca Hinrichs at Emory University in Georgia and her colleagues suspected that people’s reactions soon after the event might shed light on their risk of developing the condition.